What To Do If My Child is Being Bullied?
Ways You Can Help
- Listen to your child; assure them that they have a right to be safe.
- Know the facts about what happened and when.
- Record all of the details including dates, time, locations, perpetrators, witnesses - staff, students, any parents, most importantly details of the events without any personal comments (see template as a guide)
- Keep the records in a safe place and keep copies of all correspondence with the school and the board (see template for guide on how to organize information)
- Explain to your child that reporting takes courage and protects others.
- Please report the issue to your child’s teacher, trusted school staff or the principal or vice-principal.
- Remain calm so that you can support your child and co-plan a course of action.
- Stay on course. Watch your child’s behaviour. If meetings with staff don’t stop the bullying, talk to the principal. Follow up on the steps agreed to at the meeting.
- If bullying occurs during sports or activities, speak to the instructor or coach.
- Contact police if bullying involves criminal behaviour (e.g. sexual assault, use of a weapon), or threats outside of school.
Ways to Deal With a Bullying Incident
Step 1
When reporting an incident it is important to have a record all of the details of the event(s) you wish to address... Included below is one example of record your may wish to use... When completing the record it is important to record only the facts and try to refrain from personal comments ...
The completed record will be useful when reporting the incident and helps to keep conversations focused when working with school staff, community groups, and when appropriate the police.
Also you may wish to become familiar with the policies and procedures within each School Board regarding bullying, safe schools. racism etc.
The completed record will be useful when reporting the incident and helps to keep conversations focused when working with school staff, community groups, and when appropriate the police.
Also you may wish to become familiar with the policies and procedures within each School Board regarding bullying, safe schools. racism etc.
Step 2
Once you have documented the details about the incident, make arrangements to have a conversation with the appropriate staff or Administrators and/or police.
Many Boards of Education have protocols in place for reporting concerns including incidents involving bullying. The following highlight reporting flowcharts for HWDSB and HDSB.
* At each level it might be useful to ask the contact person for a follow up*
* At each level it might be useful to ask the contact person for a follow up*
Step 3
There are many ways that you and your child can do in order to highlight your support to end bullying.
The following provide some suggestions for working together to address bullying
The following provide some suggestions for working together to address bullying